Fair Value Accounting (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	$ (77.6)	[1]	$ (87.5)
Notes payable	1,332.2	[1]	1,404.2
Total debt	3,021.1	[1]	3,055.0
Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	373.3		363.7
Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,375.1		1,498.6
Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,272.7		1,192.7
Recourse
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	(77.6)		(87.5)
Total debt	416.2		458.1
Recourse | Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	(77.6)		(87.5)
Total debt	373.3		363.7
Recourse | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	0		0
Total debt	42.9		94.4
Recourse | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	0		0
Total debt	0		0
Carrying Value
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	3,021.1		3,055.0
Carrying Value | Recourse
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	416.2		458.1
Carrying Value | Recourse | Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Convertible subordinated notes	450.0		450.0
Less: unamortized discount	(77.6)		(87.5)
Convertible subordinated notes, net	372.4		362.5
Other	0.9		1.2
Total debt	373.3		363.7
Carrying Value | Recourse | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	42.9		94.4
Carrying Value | Recourse | Capital lease obligations | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Capital lease obligations	42.9		45.8
Carrying Value | Recourse | Term loan | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	0		48.6
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	2,604.9		2,596.9
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,332.2		1,404.2
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,272.7		1,192.7
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | 2006 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	244.7		255.8
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Promissory notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	403.5		424.1
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | 2009 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	201.6		209.2
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | 2010 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	330.4		341.5
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | TILC warehouse facility | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	152.0		173.6
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | TRL 2012 secured railcar equipment notes - RIV 2013 | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	505.6		333.8
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Holdings senior secured notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes	0		61.2
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	767.1		797.7
Estimated Fair Value
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	3,291.7		3,470.9
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	594.5		606.9
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse | Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Convertible subordinated notes	550.7		506.6
Other	0.9		1.2
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse | Capital lease obligations | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Capital lease obligations	42.9		45.8
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse | Term loan | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	0		53.3
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	2,697.2		2,864.0
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | 2006 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	265.0		292.0
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | Promissory notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	396.2		414.6
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | 2009 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	234.1		260.4
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | 2010 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	348.7		387.2
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | TILC warehouse facility | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	152.0		173.6
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | TRL 2012 secured railcar equipment notes - RIV 2013 | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	470.5		321.7
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Holdings senior secured notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes	0		62.5
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	$ 830.7		$ 952.0

[1] (unaudited)